After eyeing a huge, old, prolific fig tree here in the Birmingham area, a family member approached the house to inquire. Turned out to be the very gracious, 90-something-year-old widow of local legend "Happy Hal" Burns--country/western musician and radio personality.



Mrs. Happy, as they call her, said the tree's been there "forever" thinking it was planted in the 60s. My family member said it seems to be constantly loaded down with brownish figs--the last load of which were still holding on until last week's freeze. Mrs. Happy sent them home with a few clippings. They might be BTs, but the leaf shape (not unlike my Celeste from PftP) and lack of pink eye on the young fruit has me hoping for Celeste.



Hopefully I'll be able to get a few plants to survive out of the cuttings. Definitely fun to have a plant with a little history (and mystery) to go with it.

Nice story Rick.  And nice picture, nice thoughts.  It's a good tale to tell.

But what the heck does PftP mean?  Power for the People?  Persimmons for the Pastor?  Peonies for the Porch?  Petals from the Past?  Power fixes three Ponies?  Paint for the Punk?

Mike

It's 'Petals from the Past.' Or 'Pickles for the Porpoise.' One of those... 

Love hearing stories like this about the history of older trees!!

UPDATE: A few weeks in the sphag bin at 75*F and this little cutting of 'Mrs. Happy's Unk Bt/Celeste' is busting out roots like nobody's business! (Why can't all fig children be this well-mannered?)

 

Wow that is some serious root activity.  Nice job.

Rick that's a beautiful healthy start for a figlet. I might start Sph. Moss rooting. So...you just put them in wet Sp. Moss half way or all the way barried in it?

Ha! Thanks, but can't take any credit. Not typical results for me...this one's just a show-off.

As for sphag bins, I use a plastic lidded bin about the size of a large shoebox. About 2 inch layer of lightly moistened sphag on the bottom, then cuts laid horizontally, then 1 to 2 inch layer lightly moistened sphag on top. Keep the sphag light and fluffy, not all compacted down. If you have green buds or sprouts, you can position them so the buds/shoots aren't too buried. I put a plastic sheet over the box then lid so that it seals. Air out and fluff moss every couple of days. I found a top shelf over my heating unit in the shop that stays about 74-75*F. (Before, they were at about 69-71*, but that extra 5* made a huge, quick difference.)